


on (the lack of) distance

by Ro29



Series: Messing around in the Soft Wars Sandbox [6]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Brothers being assholes, CC-1010 | Fox Needs A Hug, Edee Feels, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fox has teeth and is not afraid to use them, Fox is angry and sad and doesn't know how to deal, Fuck Priest, Gen, He gets some!! but yeah :(, Humor, I made myself tear up, Kinda, Ponds helps a bit, This second chapter is so much happier than the first one jdsflskjf, and the Kaminoans, both pre and post war, brothers being brothers, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-03
Updated: 2021-01-07
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:40:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27365158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ro29/pseuds/Ro29
Summary: or; two more times Fox shared space with someone, except things do hurt a little this time.A direct sequel of sorts to 'on space (or lack thereof)'
Relationships: CC-1010 | Fox & CC-6454 | Ponds, CC-1010 | Fox & CC-8826 | Neyo
Series: Messing around in the Soft Wars Sandbox [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1937752
Comments: 35
Kudos: 133
Collections: Open Source Soft Wars





	1. Fox and Ponds (Before the war)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CmonCmon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CmonCmon/gifts), [Gobayern16](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gobayern16/gifts), [Project0506](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Project0506/gifts).



> This is all Cmon and GB's fault for having two different guesses as to how the second chapter of on space would go. both made me sad and also made me want to write them so instead of making the fluffy fic sad I decided to write them in a different fic (this one lol).

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ponds blinks up at him with a calm that Fox hasn’t felt for too long, infuriatingly steady and peaceful and mething that might be understanding or pity but makes him furious.
> 
> Fox wants to punch him or rage at him with all he has. Meets that steady, even gaze and wants to scream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No warnings really, other than Fox (or any of Edee really, but Fox is the focus) not dealing well with grief

Someone slinks into the room and flops down onto his bunk and on top of him. Fox snarls and rolls the both of them, throws them both off the bunk and to the ground. They grapple before he twists them, pins the body to the ground.

Ponds blinks up at him with a calm that Fox hasn’t felt for too long, infuriatingly steady and peaceful and something that might be understanding or pity but makes him furious.

Fox wants to punch him or rage at him with all he has. Meets that steady, even gaze and wants to scream.

There is nothing that is steady anymore. Nothing that’s right. And he is angry and full to the brim with it. Because Edee’s room has four bunks, has _always_ had four bunks, and now only has three bodies to fill them. And he can’t _fix_ it, had been so caught in the thought that he wasn’t good enough that he hadn’t seen the look on Priest’s _fucking_ face.

He feels stupid and small and _angry_.

He has already tried to be mad at 6, but he hasn’t been able to hold onto it. Not when he’d thought the same thing 6 had, when Priest had come and demanded Neyo.

He thought that it would be easier to be mad at Ponds. And it is, but it doesn’t leach any of the anger from his heart, any of the venom from his bones.

Ponds shifts and Fox digs fingers into his side, vicious in his hurt. Ponds grunts, gets a grip on Fox’s wrist and squeezes tight.

Fox snarls, “The _fuck_ are you doing here.”

Ponds shrugs, grip never lightening and wriggles in Fox’s grip, “Wanted to say hi.”

There is something ugly in Fox’s chest and he can’t quite swallow it back down, he snarls again, stands up and moves away with a snapped “You said your fucking hi, now get the _fuck_ out.”

Ponds doesn’t let go, grips tighter and follows him. Fox turns, tackles him, and they scramble at each other until Fox bites at an arm that goes close enough to his mouth. Ponds hisses out a curse and Fox gnashes his teeth at him again until he let’s go.

“ _Get out Ponds_.” He spits, and wants to scream when all Ponds does is raise an eyebrow.

“Colt and Gree are still on the sims.” Ponds says and Fox sits up, ignores him and picks himself up off the ground.

He doesn’t respond, turns around and waits for Ponds to get the hint and to _leave him alone_.

Ponds doesn’t, stays where he is, stubborn and nosy and annoying.

“Bly thought you’d all stick together, like you were the first few weeks,” Ponds says, and from the sound of it, he’s still laying down on the floor as if he doesn’t have a single care in the galaxy. Fox grits his teeth, sets his jaw and doesn’t turn to check.

He’ll only get angrier if he does.

“He thinks it’s weird Colt and Gree have been doing sims over and over and you’ve been moping in here and then doing sims until 6 stops you from passing out.” Ponds continues, and giving into the bloodied thing inside his chest is looking more and more appealing the longer he keeps talking.

He clenches his jaw tighter, closes his hands into fists so tight they shake.

“You’re angry.” Ponds observes and Fox snorts.

“Brilliant _fucking_ job you figured it out, now get out and don’t make me _fucking tell you again._ ”

There’s the sound of shifting and Fox turns around slowly, watches as Ponds sits up.

“Who’re you angry at though?” Ponds asks, face uncharacteristically serious.

Fox snarls, “ _Who do you fucking think_ , Neyo was _stupid_ and got himself noticed and now he’s fucking _gone_. But you’re fine as long as you can keep your fucking annoying little shithead aren’t you? So get the fuck out and leave me _alone_.”

Ponds is silent, watchful, and Fox shifts, feels like there are insects under his skin, like Ponds is ripping everything he sees apart.

He never knew Ponds could do that before, could look like that. He wonders what it says about how he must look now, to pull that reaction out of him.

Ponds tilts his head, “You aren’t though, at least not anymore. Or else you would be cursing him out a lot more.”

Fox grins, venom and fury lining his teeth, “Because you know me _so well_.”

Ponds shrugs, doesn’t take the bait, “You’re more angry at yourself I think. And Colt and Gree aren’t doing well either.”

Fox breathes, opens his mouth to rip into Ponds and feels only the sudden tightness of his throat, the burning of his eyes and chest.

“ _Shut the fuck up_.” He croaks out, furious and trembling with it even as he tries to clear his expression.

Ponds looks at him, hesitates and then nods.

Fox turns around, walks to his bunk and throws himself down on it, counts his breathing as he tries to even it, gets steadily more furious as it only worsens.

There’s a weight on his back, steady and grounding. Ponds lays down on top of him and eventually Fox manages to match the rise and fall of his own chest to Ponds. Ponds keeps his word, doesn’t talk anymore, just taps at his side and wrestles him to his side, curls around Fox and twines their legs together.

The anger in his chest is still a loud, bloodied thing, and he still can’t forgive himself or 6, is still quietly furious and raging at everything about Kamino that lead to Neyo being stolen away.

There is no fixing that though, so Fox lets Ponds keep his grip and fights back the emotions he doesn’t want to be feeling right now, lets himself sleep.

(He doesn’t go to extra Sims that day, doesn’t run himself to the ground to do better. Thinks to himself instead, after he wakes up and Ponds goes back to his own shared room, about how to keep what is left of Edee safe.

Looks at the bloodied, poisonous, sharpened anger inside of him and decides to use it for something useful, instead of pushing his last two brothers away.

He won’t let anyone take another Edee away from him, not again.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's rough! I'm still figuring out Fox's voice and this was a nice exploration for it.
> 
> I love them and they deserve better :(


	2. Fox and Neyo (After the war)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There’s a thud as they fall to the ground and they huff, “Kark you asshole.”
> 
> Fox snorts, eyes still closed, “You’re the fucker who decided I made a good resting spot.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love them your honour
> 
> this chapter has references to [Sharing the Joy Around](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26647489) because thinking about 6 and Edee makes me !!!! anyways, yeah

Someone slips into the room and flops down on top of him.

It takes him half of a second to know that it isn’t Ponds and he rolls, tosses them off of the bed.

There’s a thud as they fall to the ground and they huff, “ _Kark you_ asshole.”

Fox snorts, eyes still closed, “You’re the fucker who decided I made a good resting spot.”

When Neyo speaks again, his voice doesn’t come from the floor, “Poor little Fox, doomed to forever be a pillow.”

Fox mutters a few choice words under his breath, just to show his _appreciation_ of that comment, and cracks an eye open.

Neyo is standing up, standing on silent feet and looking at him with something flickering across his eyes that Fox can’t read.

And, because Fox’s brother is an _asshole_ , Neyo grins, a sharp-toothed smile, and asks, “You gonna laze around all day old man? And here I thought you were all set to run yourself into deep waters without consequence.”

Fox doesn’t roll his eyes, mostly because doing so isn’t worth the effort. Not when it would be lost on Neyo anyway, the bastard would enjoy the reaction.

He settles for sitting up, ignores the pointed words and the way Neyo shifts.

Fox sees it coming before it happens, the readjustment of weight a miniscule movement before Neyo tackles him.

Fox twists with a grunt, notes the way Neyo tenses and relaxes, the aborted movement of an arm that settles to the side.

Fox narrows his eyes, grabs the arm and flips them, tracks the way Neyo reacts half a second later than he normally would.

Neyo twists out of it, shrugs the hold off with an ease that is half infuriating. Draws back and sprawls against the backboard of the bed, like he’s in complete control of the situation.

‘ _Getting rusty?’_ he almost says, looks at Neyo again and thinks twice. He watches Neyo lazily, stretches his back out with a grunt and waits for him to settle.

“Enjoy my gift?” He asks instead, smiles winningly as Neyo’s expression twitches into something like disgust and manic joy.

A yes then, and Neyo found it just as awful as intended.

Good, fucker deserved it after that last one. Fox had to take it and try not to wince at the everbrightening glee on the peanut galleries faces.

He’d started hearing the Get Along Song and the fucking ‘ _Bantha says Mooooo’_ in his _sleep_.

He has never been happier to send the twins home to their mother.

Neyo gives him a grin, leans back easily.

“ _Immensely_ ,” he says, and Fox’s grin stretches wider.

It’s a look that has made criminals run for their own safety before, made idiots who decide to renovate their homes with the senses of a colourblind child messing around with blocks for the first time tremble.

Neyo, in that face of it, just tips his head to the side.

_Fucker_ , Fox thinks again, and Neyo stretches.

Fox doesn’t catch it this time, the shifting of weight better hidden this time and he gets a pillow to the face before he can bat it away, He lunges to the side as Neyo takes the distraction.

They go down in a tumble, close to falling off the bed entirely. Fox spits out curses, loud and vicious, as Neyo settles his weight across his back, comfortable and utterly unwilling to move.

The tension rolls off of him in a wave and Fox decides to let him have 10 minutes. Any more and Neyo will start being unbearable smug.

It’s quiet and he can almost feel the way the fucking gears in Neyo’s head are turning. Fox waits, he’ll either say what he wants or he won’t. Pushing and prodding works with Neyo, needling him until he lets the thoughts spill out. But sometimes waiting is the best thing, works better when the poking will leave Neyo retreating.

He reaches for a datapad, flips open the overview Gree sent him and waits.

“6 says hi.” Neyo says, easy as a breeze and unaffected.

Fox doesn’t shift, doesn’t twitch, doesn’t press. Pretends to keep reading with a hum.

He looks at the chrono, four minutes gone by and Neyo is a weight on his back, annoying and endearing in turns.

Neyo and 6 have been careful to never be too obvious in their stepping around each other, always just missing each other, like it was natural rather than rigorously planned.

6 could say hi to Fox any time he fucking wanted to and Neyo knows that.

He checks the chrono, 6 minutes. He reaches back and aim’s for Neyo’s side with a smack, takes the jab to his neck with resigned annoyance.

“6 finally come down from his fucking mountain then?” he asks, drawled and glancing.

Neyo moves and Fox feels his spine shift, hears something crack back into place. Neyo doesn’t mention it, just leans more of his weight on a spot on Fox’s back that’s been tense and stiff.

“Nah, I went up to meet him.”

Fox blinks, wrangles his surprise under control and nods.

Says, “Glad you caught him.” and means so much more than that.

Neyo slips down, rests his chin on Fox’s shoulder, and Fox tries to remember the last time they did this. The last time Neyo felt comfortable enough to slip into his space and lay down.

He curses Priest out viciously in the comfort of his own head, remembers, vaguely, the laughter and warmth of it but none of the context, knows they were young and as happy as they could be.

Fox is not given to forgiveness, doesn’t have it in him to accept transgressions and give absolution. It is not always necessarily a good thing, in this though, he thinks it’s just fine.

He’s never going to forgive Priest, never going to forgive the longnecks or most of the trainers or the Prime.

He is perfectly content with that.

He flips the page on the datapad, glances at the chrono, nine minutes and 40 seconds, and sets the pad aside.

He lays down, relaxes, gives himself 10 more seconds and then twists.

Neyo tumbles off of the bed with a curse and a startled laugh and Fox — for all that the uppity shit gets on his last nerve — lets himself be thankful for this and everything else Concord Dawn has given him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> jsdflkjd this was so much happier than the first bit alskdjflksjdf it was accidental but not unwelcome, they deserve good things.

**Author's Note:**

> If you want to find me other places I have a [writing tumblr](https://rose-blooms-red.tumblr.com) and a [fandom tumblr](https://themessofthecentury.tumblr.com)
> 
> Please come yell at me about Star Wars and DC!


End file.
